Important News!

Costco Hearings Delayed At a special meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) last Friday, a decision was made to delay the first public hearing until Wednesday, October 20. We see this as an important step forward because the delay was due to the Commission’s recognition of the need for independent information related to Costco’s application.  At the meeting, the PZC approved contracts for the following services:

• A Traffic Study, at a cost of $6,000 to be paid by Costco, to conduct a peer review of Costco’s own traffic study that was submitted last week.

• A Fiscal Analysis to evaluate the real impacts of a Costco store on Guilford’s tax structure and its economy, including an analysis of impacts on existing businesses, at a cost of $15,500, also to be borne by Costco.

GCRD members worked to ensure that independent studies of traffic and fiscal impacts be conducted so that the PZC would not have to rely on Costco’s own data, and we submitted specific questions for the consultants to address in order to ensure that these studies would actually be useful.

This means that the hearing schedule will likely extend through the end-of-year holidays.  Under state law, a PZC decision must be made before December 8 unless Costco agrees to an extension, in which case the latest date for a PZC decision would be January 28, 2011.

Legal Counsel and Professional Analysis Progress In anticipation of our need for legal advice, last week GCRD engaged Attorney Marjorie Shansky whom you may remember as a panelist at the GPA Forum on big boxes on July 29.  We have also hired a planning consultant who will present expert assessment on the incompatibility of Costco’s proposal with Guilford’s Town Plan of Conservation and Development.  A fund-raising appeal will follow!

In addition, GCRD has the pro bono services of extraordinary professionals and business people in a variety of fields who, as concerned Guilford residents, have come forward to volunteer their expertise.  With their assistance, GCRD is preparing a series of our own detailed reports on traffic, taxes, town costs, and local economy impacts.  These reports will be presented to the Commission in advance of the public hearings.

A Sustained Effort The delay in the hearings presents important opportunities for spreading opposition to big box stores in Guilford.  Please encourage your friends and neighbors to watch our video “It Could Happen Here” airing on GCTV, accessible on YouTube, and on our web site www.guilfordcrd.org.  You can also follow us on facebook (NO Costco in Guilford) and twitter @GuilfordCRD.

Most importantly, please keep working to share the real facts about this issue with your friends and neighbors.  And let our town leaders know how you feel.